Take A Peek Under The Hood Of The 600HP Ford Focus RS RX

The Ford Focus RS RX is a remarkable piece of machinery. This all-wheel-drive, 600-horsepower race car can accelerate from 0-60 miles per hour in under 2 seconds giving its drivers the advantage to capture holeshot advantage come race day. But how exactly is this feat possible? Focus RS RX rallycross driver Steve Arpin stopped by Hoonigan Racing Division this month to explain what makes this Ford Performance rallycross vehicle so unique.

The motor in the Ford Focus RS RX is unbelievable. It’s just so driveable. — Steve Arpin, Hoonigan Racing

The video, which debuted on the Hoonigan’s Build Biology episode, featured the Steve’s Eneos Oil-sponsored 2018 Focus RS RX. Although Steve is one of the newest drivers on the Hoonigan Racing Team, he is a household name in the Ford Performance community racing for the team since 2015.

Photo Credit: Josh Tons Photography

“The motor in the Ford Focus RS RX is unbelievable. It’s just so driveable,” Steve Arpin explained. “On the outside, pretty much everything on this vehicle is carbon fiber. The only thing that is steel is the roof and driver’s side door.”

The entire racecar weights in at less than 3,000 pounds and the weight of this vehicle is tuned to maximize the use of the all-wheel-drive system come race day.

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Steve went on to discuss the different characteristics in this purpose-built race car and show us that, for as wild as the exterior may look at first glance, everything truly serves a purpose when it comes to the aerodynamics on the track.

One area of the rallycross car that does not always get a lot of attention is the rear-mounted radiator. Steve detailed just how important cooling is on these cars and why the aft setup is a critical performance facet for rallycross events.

Hot hatch enthusiasts also get a rare, in-depth look at the entire vehicle, and the video effectively answers many of the questions that you might have about this Ford Performance vehicle. The remainder of the video shows us the heart and soul of this car giving details about this 600-horsepower engine and the unique all-wheel-drive system. It’s an easy reminder of just how badass this car really is and Steve does a great down breaking it all down for viewers.

Although the 2018 Americas rallycross season has ended, both Ken Block and Steve Arpin competed in this weekends Nitro Rallycross competition. Unfortunately, due to some suspension issues during practice, Ken was forced to withdraw from the competition, but Steve had a strong showing, finishing just off the podium.

The event took place during the World Nitro Games at the Utah Motorsports Campus on the rallycross course that was designed by Nitro Circus creator Travis Pastrana nicknamed the “Hell Track For Cars.”